As the CEO of Back 2 Business International and Farazad Productions Ltd, Farah Farazad has extensive experience of starting and running successful businesses. Her advice to others looking to do the same is to “show people what your capable of” by building up their own portfolios or putting together a show reel. Farah speaks to Great Minds about how to be successful in the creative world and what students can do to secure the job roles they want in an overcrowded market.
When recruiting, Farah doesn’t just look at people’s skillset, she searches for individuals with energy and passion. She states: “you have to create a great atmosphere where people want to come and interact with each other”. Farah emphasises the importance of having a team of people that complement each other in order to get them to work well together noting that you can’t have a “cancer” in your team stopping it from functioning effectively. The message for business owners is that it is imperative that they create a working environment people want to be part of. For students or individuals starting out, it is crucial they display their enthusiasm and passion for what they do.
Another aspect of making yourself stand out in creative roles is continuous education. Farah states “if you don’t grow as the industry grows then you’ll be left behind” emphasising the importance of continuing to educate yourself throughout your career. It is crucial that you understand your market and how to lead in it. Ultimately, to be successful, you need to be producing content or products that the market you are targeting wants or needs.
Farah also touches on being a female in the creative world. She describes that more recently, women have developed their confidence to start their own businesses and grow as entrepreneurs. Women are therefore having an impact in the business world.
Farah also identifies that businesses are now recognising the need to bring young people into their organisations, even before they have graduated. This is to help them gain experience that will equip them with the skills they need for a creative career. She comments that this is something London College of Creative Arts (LCCA) does really well. Along with having great teachers with subject expertise, LCCA has excellent relationships within the business world. The LCCA college can therefore offer students more than just a chance to get educated. It can assist pupils in getting the creative job roles they aspire to.
If you want a career-focused programme that can help you get the job you want, visit LCCA’s website and find your art and design courses today!